It has been appreciated by those skilled in the art that particles of dirt or other contaminates may cause scratches during the cleaning process. For example, if one were to clean a car with a sponge or pad, the dirt trapped between the sponge and the surface of the car may cause scratches in the paint when the sponge is moved over the surface. Accordingly, it is beneficial to try and remove as much of the dirt or other contaminants from the sponge as possible as frequently as possible. By keeping the sponge or pad clean, there is less risk of scratching the surface of the car or other object being cleaned.
Traditionally, someone cleaning a car repeatedly dunks the sponge or pad in a bucket of soapy water to remove the dirt and other particles from the sponge or pad. While this method of cleaning does help remove some of the contaminants from the cleaning object, it is not efficient in doing so. To this end, dirt or other particles may remain on the sponge or cleaning pad and cause scratches on the surface of the object being cleaned or at a minimum, prevent the maximum cleanliness from being achieved.
To this end, people have tried to come up with ways to better remove the dirt and other contaminants from the cleaning apparatus during the process of cleaning an object. Traditional strainers are not effective and filtering systems rely on pads, sponges or filters that require replacing and simply do not function well.
One proposed method is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 7,025,880, titled Fluid Receptacle and Filter System (hereinafter “'880 patent”) The '880 patent provides a system for separating particles from fluid which includes a receptacle for containing fluid and a filter assembly which includes a filter component shaped to fit the receptacle, an O-ring encircling the perimeter of the filter component for securing the filter assembly in the receptacle, and at least two baffles attached to the bottom of the filter component for reducing the motion of the fluid around and through the filter assembly. While the system disclosed in the '880 patent may be more effective than traditional filters, it still does not provide the maximum effectiveness at filtering and removing dirt and contaminates from a sponge, pad or other washing device during the washing process. To this end, a more effective and efficient particle trap/filter is desirable. It would be particularly beneficial if the particle trap/filter could be used in the process of washing cars and other objects. It would also be beneficial if the particle trap/filter could be used with the traditional method of using a bucket of soapy water or other cleaning liquid.